1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid tank and a liquid ejecting apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a liquid tank containing liquid therein and a liquid ejecting apparatus having the liquid tank detachably attached thereto, wherein the attached state of the liquid tank is detected in the liquid ejecting apparatus for ejecting liquid supplied from the liquid tank.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid ejecting apparatus is exemplified by an ink jet printing apparatus. An ink tank containing ink therein is replaced with a new one by a user so that ink can be replenished to the ink jet printing apparatus. The ink tank serving as a liquid tank is generally configured to be detachably attached to a holder disposed in the ink jet printing apparatus or a holder disposed at a carriage of the ink jet printing apparatus.
In the ink jet printing apparatus having the above-described configuration, in a case where a user improperly attaches the ink tank at a predetermined position of the holder during the replacement of the ink tank, the ink cannot be supplied to a print head. In view of this, there is provided an ink jet printing apparatus configured to inform a user of the completion of attachment at a timing at which the ink tank is properly attached such that the user can confirm the completion of the attachment.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-93328 discloses providing information whether or not the attachment state of an ink tank is properly completed for a user or an ink jet printing apparatus by using the emission or non-emission of light or the state of light emission (blinking or the like). In FIGS. 5 and 7 of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-93328, as a user depresses an ink tank (1) in a direction indicated by an arrow P, a second engaging portion (6) engages with a second locking portion (156) to be thus mechanically set, so that the ink tank can be attached. Upon completion of the attaching operation, an electrode (102) on the side of the ink tank is brought into conduction to an electrode (152) on the side of a carriage of the ink jet printing apparatus, thereby detecting that the ink tank is attached. Upon the detection, a first light emitter (101) is controlled to emit light.
With the above-described configuration, it is possible to visually determine whether or not the ink tank can be properly attached, and therefore, a determination can be more certainly made in comparison with functional determination depending upon the feeling of a hand or a finger.